Classic tales of revolution and strife brought to life on the small screen. Secret Cold War missions gone catastrophically awry. Adorable baby aliens and their protective mercenary papas. As always, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in this weekend’s friendly neighborhood streaming guide.
I wasn’t sure if I should include Furious again on this guide, since its finale dropped this past Monday, but I figured I’d discuss the Hulu crime series up top instead. It was a decent enough crime drama, but I think it handled the “revenge serial killer” plot rather poorly. The coincidences really piled up by the third act and both narratively and thematically it started to feel forced.
Ultimately, the show never truly grappled with its themes or presented a clear and coherent message about justice, which might have been fine if they’d really leaned into the revenge plot, but ultimately came off as half-baked. Predictable and tropey, I can’t really recommend this one, sadly. I didn’t hate it, but both the show and its characters left me cold. Great performances from Emmy Rossum and Lola Petticrew, though!
New TV Shows To Watch This Weekend
The Gentlemen – Season 2 (Netflix)
What It’s About: Guy Ritchie’s stylish crime comedy returns a year after the events of Season 1, with Eddie Horniman (Theo James) no longer the reluctant aristocrat dragged into the underworld. He and Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) are now actively expanding the Glass family’s marijuana empire beyond England and into Europe, where they encounter a fresh collection of gangsters, aristocrats and rivals. Ray Winstone returns as Bobby Glass, while newcomers include Hugh Bonneville as Lord Hawthorne, Sergio Castellitto as Italian crime boss Marco Moretti and Benedetta Porcaroli as Bella. Season 2 debuted Thursday, September 3 with all eight episodes ready to binge now on Netflix.
Why You Should Watch: The Gentlemen was one of my favorite shows of 2024 and I’m absolutely thrilled to dive into Season 2 this weekend. I wouldn’t even say I’m a huge Guy Ritchie fan, though I do really love some of his movies, but this one really clicked for me. The new season has a slightly higher Rotten Tomatoes score than Season 1, but it looks like it’s faring about the same with critics and audiences, which is fine by me. For fans of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Eddie’s brother Freddy is played by Daniel Ings, aka Lyonel Baratheon.
Mayday – Season 1 (Apple TV)
What It’s About: Ryan Reynolds stars as hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Troy “Assassin” Kelly, whose secret Cold War mission goes catastrophically wrong when he’s stranded behind enemy lines in the Soviet Union. His unlikely savior is Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), an eccentric former KGB agent with a deep fascination for American culture. Maria Bakalova plays Nikolai’s daughter Anna, with Marcin Dorociński as Alexander Volkov and David Morse as Troy’s father, Harold. Mayday premiered Friday, Sept. 4 on Apple TV and currently sits at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Why You Should Watch: A few reasons, actually. First, I think Kenneth Branagh is one of the best actors out there and I find pairing him with Ryan Reynolds just . . . so crazy it might work. Also, I was just writing about Sacha Baron Cohen and how people are boycotting his new Ali G movie, and here’s Maria Bakalova from Borat 2 starring in this new Apple TV show. What timing! And finally, the action-comedy comes from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. I absolutely adore that movie, so I have high hopes here, even if this is a very different genre.
Chad Powers – Season 2 (Hulu)
What It’s About: Glen Powell returns as disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday, whose ridiculous prosthetic disguise and fake identity as “Chad Powers” somehow turned him into the star quarterback of the struggling South Georgia Catfish. Season 2 finds Chad becoming a sensation on the field just as Russ’s increasingly suspicious behavior threatens to expose the entire scheme. Perry Mattfeld returns as Ricky, who now knows the truth, along with Steve Zahn as Coach Jake Hudson and Quentin Plair as Coach Byrd. Unlike Season 1’s weekly rollout, Hulu released all six Season 2 episodes at once on Thursday, September 3.
Why You Should Watch: Early reviews are extremely positive: Season 2 currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92% with audiences. That’s up from 60% with critics for Season 1 and 84% with audiences. Granted, only 7 critics have actually reviewed Season 2, compared to 62 for Season 1, so take this jump with a grain of salt. Still, if you’re a Glen Powell fan or enjoy off-kilter sports shows, this might be one for you.
A Tale Of Two Cities (MGM+)
What It’s About: Charles Dickens’ classic gets a new four-part adaptation starring Kit Harington as brilliant but self-destructive lawyer Sydney Carton, Mirren Mack as Lucie Manette and François Civil as French émigré Charles Darnay. The story begins in 1782 London, where Lucie learns that the father she believed dead for nearly two decades may actually be alive in Paris. When Darnay is arrested for treason, she turns to Carton for help, setting in motion the famous love triangle against the growing turmoil between Britain and France. The miniseries premieres Sunday, Sept. 6 on MGM+, with new episodes each Sunday and the fourth and final installment airing Sept. 27.
Why You Should Watch: I haven’t seen this yet, and there are no reviews out on Rotten Tomatoes yet, either, which isn’t uncommon for more obscure titles on smaller streaming apps like MGM+. If you’re a fan of Kit Harrington (Jon Snow in Game of Thrones) this is an obvious must-watch. It’s been years since I read A Tale of Two Cities, and the honest truth is, my memory of the details is rather fuzzy at this point. That might actually work in favor of the mini-series, since I won’t compare every last thing to the book! “It was the best of adaptations, it was the worst of adaptations…”
TV Shows Currently Streaming Weekly
Silo – Season 3 Finale (Apple TV)
What It’s About: Set in a dystopian future, 10,000 people live in a massive, self-sustaining underground “Silo” comprising 144 levels. Residents are strictly governed by regulations and believe the outside world is toxic, but the protagonist, an engineer named Juliette Nichols, begins to uncover secrets about the Silo’s history and the truth behind their world.
Why You Should Watch: I am still behind on Silo, but for those of you caught up on the show this weekend is the big Season 3 finale. I’m curious what you think. Is this something I should devote time to or is it just too slow? I was really having trouble staying invested in Season 2. Let me know!
Reacher – Season 4 (Prime Video)
What It’s About: Season 4 of Reacher adapts Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow. A distraught woman’s death on a Philadelphia subway pulls Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) into a conspiracy involving the Pentagon and an international terror cell. Three episodes dropped August 12, with weekly releases through the September 16 finale. Amazon will release all eight episodes of the spinoff Neagley (starring Maria Sten) the same day as the finale.
Why You Should Watch: Season 1 remains the gold standard when it comes to Reacher, but at least Season 3 was a lot better than the truly atrocious second season of this action-crime-mystery-ish adaptation of the over-the-top Lee Child books (of which I’ve read about nine or so). My dismay continues to grow as the season lumbers on, and my latest review is pretty harsh. But this show just oozes mediocrity out of every pore, and I find it all so terribly disappointing.
Lanterns – Season 1 (HBO Max)
What It’s About: DC’s True Detective-style take on Green Lantern: rookie John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and veteran Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) investigate a Nebraska murder that opens onto something much larger, told across two timelines. Kelly Macdonald is Sheriff Kerry, Ulrich Thomsen plays Sinestro, Laura Linney a Guardian of the Universe, and Nathan Fillion reprises Guy Gardner from Superman. Co-created by Chris Mundy (Ozark), Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. Premieres Sunday, August 16 at 9pm, then weekly across eight episodes, with the finale on October 4. See the full release schedule and time zones right here.
Why You Should Watch: I thought the first two episodes of Lanterns were fine. Nothing special, nothing terrible. Then Episode 3 came along and I have to admit, I did not like it at all. It’s been super divisive, with a lot of the discussion pouring over into culture war and race stuff, but I just thought it was poor storytelling. You can read my review of Episode 3 here, or watch my video discussion here.
Adults – Season 2 (Hulu)
What It’s About: FX’s Gen-Z comedy hangout comedy returns with Samir (Malik Elassal), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Issa (Amita Rao), Anton (Owen Thiele) and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) still sharing Samir’s family home in Queens and stumbling their way through relationships, jobs and the increasingly messy business of adulthood. Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw created the series, and Season 2 brings in guest stars including Susie Essman, Raven-Symoné, Gaten Matarazzo, Zosia Mamet and Julia Fox. All eight Season 2 episodes dropped on Hulu Thursday, August 27, so this is a binge release and the finale is already available. FXX is also airing two episodes each Thursday, which puts the linear finale on September 17.
Why You Should Watch: This isn’t one I’ve watched yet, but the reviews are through the roof. Critics give Season 2 a 100% score and audiences are almost right there with them at 98%. If you’re looking for something funny to kill some time this weekend, give it a look.
Dark Matter – Season 2 (Apple TV)
What It’s About: Joel Edgerton returns as physicist Jason Dessen alongside Jennifer Connelly as Daniela and Oakes Fegley as their son Charlie, with Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi and Amanda Brugel also returning. After the first season’s multiverse chaos, the Dessens attempt to settle in a seemingly safe reality while Jason’s obsession with the Box threatens to drag the family straight back into trouble. New episodes drop Fridays, though on Apple TV this actually means Thursday evenings, with the finale October 30 (or 29, as the case may be).
Why You Should Watch: It’s very rare for an author to adapt and show-run their own novel, but such is the case for Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter. Now Crouch moves into uncharted territory, taking his own story further in TV format than in book format, which is kind of cool and unique and hopefully means we’re in for a great second season. The good news? Season 2 has much higher ratings than Season 1 so far.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Season 18 (FX / Hulu)
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Credit: Hulu
What It’s About: The Gang — Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob Mac, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito — return to Paddy’s Pub for a 10-episode run that includes inheritance scams, tent encampments, workplace automation, neurodivergence, conspiracy theories, a Renaissance Faire, and a Little League sponsorship. What could go wrong? The season premiered this past Monday, August 17 with a two-episode drop. Weekly episodes land on Mondays with the finale airing on October 12. Season 18 is currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Why You Should Watch: To be fair, I’m late to the game on Always Sunny, so I’m way way behind on this show and just put on episodes whenever I need a dose of hilarity in my life. Sometimes I end up binging three or four or five because life is filled with tragedy and the Gang always lifts my spirits. So why should you watch? First, because it will bring you joy. Second, because you’ll be like “there but for the grace of God go I.”
The Shards (Hulu)
The Shards
Credit: Hulu / FX
What It’s About: Ryan Murphy (Glee, The Politician, etc) adapts the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name for FX/Hulu. Set in Los Angeles in 1981, The Shards follows a 17-year-old fictionalized Bret Easton Ellis (Igby Rigney) through his senior year at the elite Buckley prep school, where the arrival of enigmatic transfer student Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) coincides with the killings of a serial murderer known as The Trawler. The show drops new episodes on Wednesdays with a September 9 finale.
Why You Should Watch: I’m not really sure, if we’re being honest. The promo images of young people in the 80s in swimsuits make this look like a show for young people and I’m not a young man anymore. The reviews aren’t great (55% / 35% audience and critic scores) and I suppose I’m not really a big Bret Easton Ellis guy. I mean, I enjoyed the movie American Psycho, but I never read the book! Maybe I should do that instead of watching this show.
The Walking Dead: Dead City – Season 3 (AMC+)
The Walking Dead: Dead City
Screenshot: Erik Kain
What It’s About: The Walking Dead: Dead City returns with an eight-episode season 3, with Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan returning, now working alongside Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles) to build a “functioning” community in post-apocalyptic Manhattan. The fragile alliance is tested by newcomer Renata (Aimee Garcia), her doctor brother Luis (Raúl Castillo), and loner Dillard (Jimmi Simpson of Westworld fame). New showrunner Seth Hoffman, a Walking Dead veteran writer and former co-executive producer on the original series, is taking over this season. New episodes drop Sundays, running through September 13.
Why You Should Watch: I don’t think this show should exist, quite frankly, and after watching the Season 3 premiere, I not only wrote a scathing review, I made a scathing video to go with it, which you can watch here. It’s not good, folks, but I genuinely hope that it gets better because there are other ways I could be spending my Sunday evenings. Update: I watched about five minutes of the second episode and turned it off and I haven’t been able to come back. I think maybe you need alcohol to enjoy this show, or to even enjoy hate-watching this show, and I don’t drink anymore.
Fightland (Starz)
What It’s About: On the night Maduka “Duke” Kilroy (Howard Charles) becomes world heavyweight champion, an assault leaves his brother dead and lands him in a U.S. prison for eight years. Out and back in London, he sets out to destroy the empire of criminal kingpin and former promoter Kingsley Marshall (Nicholas Pinnock), the man he blames — complicated by the fact that Kingsley has vanished and his wife Joy (Deborah Ayorinde) is the love of Duke’s life. Charles Babalola and Anita-Joy Uwajeh co-star. New episodes drop Fridays with the season finale landing on September 25.
Why You Should Watch: I’m a few weeks late to this – it premiered on Starz on July 31. In any case, it’s co-produced by rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, marking his first international series. It’s a pretty compelling plot and has a reasonably strong 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. Also, boxing. Boxing is fun especially when the boxer in question is beating up criminals in East London.
Ted Lasso – Season 4 (Apple TV)
Ted Lasso
Credit: Apple TV
What It’s About: Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) returns to Richmond to coach a second-division women’s football team in this reboot of the popular Apple TV sports comedy series. Jack Burditt (30 Rock, Modern Family) takes over as showrunner for this new, more estrogen-charged spin on the fish-out-of-water TV show. New episodes drop on Wednesday (Tuesday evening for Apple TV) with ten episodes running through October 7.
Why You Should Watch: Honestly, the reason that Ted Lasso worked so well in the first season was precisely because it was a fish-out-of-water comedy. But a fish can only stay out of water for so long before, well, RIP fish. Ted was an adorable lead and head coach and despite his lack of experience or knowledge of soccer, his remarkable way with people took everyone off guard, including viewers. That affable, mustachioed man was the epitome of “I am rubber and you are glue” and nothing stuck to him. He made you want to believe (like Fox Mulder did back int he day, only about aliens and whatnot).
That rarest work of optimism and hope in a sea of cynicism was perfect in its first season. But it should have been a one-and-done series because it ran out of steam in Season 2 and I didn’t return for Season 3. Let me know if you think Season 4 is worth it or a misfire. I’ve heard mixed things.
Monsters of God – Finale (HBO Max)
Monsters of God
Credit: HBO
What It’s About: A five-part HBO documentary series directed by Eric Goode (Tiger King, Chimp Crazy), produced by Goode Films, A24, and Central Pictures. Goode dives into the underworld of exotic animal smuggling, a billion-dollar criminal enterprise driven by obsession over rare species. The docuseries is inspired by and draws from the 2008 nonfiction book, The Lizard King, by Bryan Christy (oddly, not about The Doors frontman, Jim Morrison). New episodes drop Mondays with a September 3 finale.
Why You Should Watch: I really think Lizard King would have been a better name for this series, since it would so quickly evoke Goode’s hit Tiger King, but maybe that name was taken or maybe they worried about the link to The Doors. Either way, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score (based on just 10 reviews) this one might be worth checkikng out.
Conan O’Brien Must Go – Season 3 (HBO Max)
Conan O’Brien Must Go
Credit: HBO
What It’s About: Conan travels overseas to meet listeners he first connected with on his podcast, experiencing local traditions while spending time with the fans who invited him — this season to India, the Philippines, the Netherlands and Morocco. Premieres Friday, August 21 at 9 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max with four episodes airing weekly on Fridays, and the finale on September 11.
Why You Should Watch: Conan O’Brien is just one of the funniest, most likable people in Hollywood and basically anything he does is worth watching just because he’s such a fun guy. If you like humorous travel shows, check it out. The series holds 88% critics / 84% audience and has won two Emmys.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 4 (Paramount+)
Strange New Worlds
Credit: Paramount
What It’s About: The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise is back for another round of adventures as Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) continues leading his crew across the final frontier. Season 4 picks up after last season’s cliffhanger and sends Pike, Spock, Number One, and the rest of the Enterprise crew on a series of dangerous new missions, from mysterious alien encounters to impossible scientific mysteries, while continuing to build toward the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. The new season is comprised of 10 episodes airing Sundays through September 24
Why You Should Watch: I actually gave up on New Star Trek some time ago, having doggedly tried my best with the JJ Abrams films, Discovery and Picard. And while I’d heard some very positive things about Strange New Worlds, I just couldn’t find the energy to catch up. Maybe someday. I do really like the casting in this series, and Anson Mount is the perfect Pike (though I thought he looked more handsome in the very first episode before he shaved and cut his hair). However, it should be noted that Season 4 has a stellar 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, higher than any previous season. If there is a show that could lure me back to Star Trek, it’s this one.
Lioness – Season 3 (Paramount+)
What It’s About: Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness returns for a third season with Zoe Saldaña back as CIA operative Joe McNamara, who finds herself caught up in her most dangerous mission yet. As a sprawling conspiracy threatens both national security and the people she cares about most, Joe is forced to balance her loyalty to the mission with her responsibilities at home. Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez, and Dave Annable all return for another season of high-stakes espionage and military action.
Why You Should Watch: You know, I thought the first season of Lioness was pretty excellent military spy thriller fare, and I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff. I’m okay with shows that make Islamic radical terrorists and South American cartels the bad guys and I’m okay with shows that point out that often the bad guys can be right here in the West, too. Taylor Sheridan is a bit more “red-blooded” than a lot of contemporary Hollywood and that’s fine, but I just got kind of sick of the characters in Season 2, so I’m behind. New episodes drop Sundays with the finale landing on September 20.
Ghost in the Shell (Prime Video)
Ghost in the Shell
Credit: Prime Video
What It’s About: Ghost in the Shell has been around forever, but it’s always fun to see a new take on an old classic. The new series, which debuted on Prime Video this past Tuesday, was created by Science Saru (aka Science Monkey), the studio behind the hit Devilman Crybaby and Danadan. The new series is based on the 1989-91 manage of the same name and takes place in the distant future (well, 2029) in a futuristic Japan replete with elite cyborgs, tactical anti-terrorism forces and mysterious hackers. You can also watch the old 1995 movie on Prime Video. A total of 10 episodes will comprise the first season, with the finale airing on September 8.
Why You Should Watch: If you like this anime series, or you’re just into anime in general, this is probably your thing. I found that even though I’ve seen the movie, I was totally lost and confused after the first episode and so I haven’t continued. Maybe someday.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe (HBO Max)
What It’s About: Stuart Fails to Save the Universe stars Kevin Sussman, reprising his Big Bang Theory role as Stuart. Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon — and as the title implies, things don’t go well. Along the way he meets alternate-universe versions of familiar Big Bang Theory faces.
Why You Should Watch: First, a confession: I have never watched even a single episode of Big Bang Theory. Sure, I’ve seen the odd clip here or there, but I really couldn’t even tell you what it’s about. And yet, this show sounds like a really clever spinoff. It takes the sitcom into an entirely new genre, and even though I’m sick of multiverse stuff, this sounds really fun. It has a 71%/78% critic/audience split on RT. New episodes land Thursdays and the finale drops on September 24.
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